Jury finds former deputy town marshal guilty of killing his wife
CLINTON COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI) – Wednesday afternoon, a Clinton County jury found 57-year-old Keith Smith guilty of shooting and killing his wife, Lisa Smith, last March.
It was a quick two-day trial.
The state called several witnesses including a man who claimed to have a romantic relationship with Keith and Lisa Smith.
He told the jury Lisa got attached to him and Keith was jealous.
Prosecutors said Keith called this witness after he shot his wife and left her to bleed out.
The witness confirmed he came over to his house but didn’t want to go inside and see Lisa’s body.
He said he did not call 911 or tell Smith to call police.
But a 911 phone call played for the jury proved Smith did call police and told the dispatcher he shot and killed her.
He told them he meant to shoot himself.
His son, Bryan Smith, doesn’t know why the defense attorney didn’t stress that to the jury.
“The defense literally rested as soon as the case was turned to him and presented no argument or facts for my father at all,” said Bryan.
Defense Attorney, Richard Martin, said “I’ve been practicing law for 33 years. I defended this with the best defense I had.”
Martin says he did plan to call witnesses, but the state already called them.
He said he feels like they have a very good chance for an appeal.
Smith is scheduled to be sentenced in October.
